I think of verses such as 2 Timothy 4:2, "Preach the Word, be prepared in season and out of season..." and 1 Peter 3:15, "But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect." So the question is, what is the Gospel? What are we defending and what is it that we really believe?
The word gospel means 'good news'. If the Gospel of Christ means the good news, what is the bad news? If He is the Savior, what is He saving us from?
The Gospel is an event. It is an achievement (God saved us on the cross and justice and love was fully served). It is a transfer that must be applied to our daily lives. Therefore, we must live in light of what the Gospel really is. God is the Gospel and when you get God, that is enough!
God's wrath is active and we all deserve it (Ephesians 2). Romans 3:23 says that ALL have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. The bad news is that we all are sinful from birth. We are all evil, sinful at the core and need to be saved from ourselves. That is hard for some people to hear and understand. Sin is a sickness that separates man from God. We all have a disease that needs a cure, and the only way to cleanse us is through the willing sacrifice of someone perfect (2 Corinthians 5:21). Jesus preached that He was the cure to a disease that most people will refuse they have. Jesus is the only one that saves us from the wrath of God. The cross is the symbol of the reception of God's wrath on our behalf. We think that Jesus saved us from the literal place of hell. This is true but hell is really anything that has the absence of God.
The word gospel means 'good news'. If the Gospel of Christ means the good news, what is the bad news? If He is the Savior, what is He saving us from?
The Gospel is an event. It is an achievement (God saved us on the cross and justice and love was fully served). It is a transfer that must be applied to our daily lives. Therefore, we must live in light of what the Gospel really is. God is the Gospel and when you get God, that is enough!
God's wrath is active and we all deserve it (Ephesians 2). Romans 3:23 says that ALL have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. The bad news is that we all are sinful from birth. We are all evil, sinful at the core and need to be saved from ourselves. That is hard for some people to hear and understand. Sin is a sickness that separates man from God. We all have a disease that needs a cure, and the only way to cleanse us is through the willing sacrifice of someone perfect (2 Corinthians 5:21). Jesus preached that He was the cure to a disease that most people will refuse they have. Jesus is the only one that saves us from the wrath of God. The cross is the symbol of the reception of God's wrath on our behalf. We think that Jesus saved us from the literal place of hell. This is true but hell is really anything that has the absence of God.
The Gospel is simple. It is not just the good news of Jesus Christ. It is not just a report or biography of the events of Jesus' life. The Gospel defines His virgin birth, teachings, death, burial, and resurrection in an authoritative manner. The Gospel is that "God gave up His only Son for us all" (Romans 8:32).
The Gospel and life of Jesus Christ means nothing to us if we don't share it. Our words and actions must line up. DC Talk says it best, "The greatest single cause of atheism in the world today is Christians who acknowledge Jesus with their lips, then walk out the door and deny Him by their lifestyle. That is what an unbelieving world simply finds unbelievable." The Gospel is not an argument to be won but a lifestyle to be lived. When sharing with people it is important to understand that you can be 100% right yet still be wrong. How we share is important and needs to be done with love, gentleness, and respect.
God created us to be with Him. (Genesis 1-2)
Our sins separate us from God. (Genesis 3)
Sins cannot be removed by good deeds. (Genesis 4 - Malachi 4)
Paying the price for sin, Jesus died and rose again. (Matthew - Luke)
Everyone who trusts in Him alone has eternal life. (John)
Life with Jesus starts now and lasts forever. (Acts - Revelation)
Our sins separate us from God. (Genesis 3)
Sins cannot be removed by good deeds. (Genesis 4 - Malachi 4)
Paying the price for sin, Jesus died and rose again. (Matthew - Luke)
Everyone who trusts in Him alone has eternal life. (John)
Life with Jesus starts now and lasts forever. (Acts - Revelation)
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